Valve housing and rotor



2 Sheet t 1 ATT EYS Dec. 5, 1939. H. F. VICKERS VALVE HOUSING AND RO'iOR Filed Jan. 8, 1937 5, 1939- HP. VICKERS 2,182,459 VALVE HOUSING AND ROTOR ATTORNEY5 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNllED STATES PATENT forties Harry F. Vickers, Detroit, Mich assignor to Vickers, Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application JanuaryS, 1937, Serial No. 119,561

1 Claim. (Cl. 251-104) This invention relates -to a valve housing and rotor, and has to do particularly with novel three and four-way valve structure and continuous balancing means therefor.

5 'Balancingper se has been quite common in many types of rotary plug valves, but such balancing feature has usually been accomplished by a separate conduit connecting the pressure inlet with the opposite wall of the valve :whereby to 10 attempt to balance the valve when in shut-oil position.

While the general .dbject of the present-invention is to provide a balanced rotary valve for the directional control and flow of fluids, the more 15 specific; object has to do with the extremelysimple and compact structure for obtaining three and four-way directional control, at the same time obtaining a balancing action under all conditions of operation and in all positions. The

balancing feature of my rotary valve is inherent in the valvedesign itself.

Other features include the arrangement of ports, the use of the balancing chambers or 'de. pressions as working chambers, the novel design 25 of cross passageways in each rotor opening into flow and balancing channels, and the manner of positively preventing pressure on the packing or packings, as will be more clearly set forth in the specification and claim.

30 In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a fourway valve illustrating the preferred arrangement of ports in the valve housing and the shape and design .of the valve rotor. V

35 Figs. 2 and 3 are similar to Fig. .1, except showing the rotor valve in difierent directional control positions.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view. illustrating a slightly modified form of rotor for use in the position ofthe valve rotor shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a-threeway rotary valve casing and valve rotor showing particularly a modified form of port arrangement.

Figs. '1 and 8 are similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating different positions of the valve rotor.

Fig. 9 Ba vertical sectional viewtaken on line:

99 of Fig. '7. 50' Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a complete valve unit similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, but. of the double pilot valve type.

Fig. 11 a plan view' of the valve structure shown in-Fig. 2.

56 Referring particularly to thefour-way rotary? valve (shown. in Figs. 1 to 4), I have shown a valve casing 2 which, aswill be seen, is very compact and of relatively small diameter. This casing is provided with 'ports designated Pr, T, C1 and C2, and in the general use of such casing T 6 represents the tank outlet port, Pr the pressure intake port, and C1 and C2 the cylinder However, as will be later explained, these port connections may be changed without in any way afiecting the balancing arrangement. 0

The casing 2 is provided with. an inner cylindrical chamber 3 for receiving a valve rotor which may be generally designated 4. As best shown in' Fig. 4, the cylindrical chamber 3 terminatesin a closed end which forms a solid part of the cas- 15 ing 2 and the other open end is closed by a cap 5 provided with a packing gland 6 which cooperates with the shaft'fl of the rotor valve.

The general contour of the rotor valve l iscylindrical, as will be .best seen by referring to Fig. 10. Diametrically positioned milled out de pressions 8, 9, l0 and II are formed in the'walls of the valve rotor, the topand bottom of each depression terminating short of the top and bot-; tom of the valve rotor '4. Flow passageways I2 and I3 are formed to pass diametrically through the body of the valve rotor 4 and are preferably arranged at right angles to each other; The ports T, C1 and C: are preferably in the same horizontal plane, and it will thus be seen by referring to Fig. 4, that all the ports in the casing and the cross passageways in the valve rotor are within the plane of the top and bottom of the depressions 8, 9, l0 and II. The bottom portion of the valve rotor 4 is shouldered as at I! and the top portion is recessed as at l5.

When the port T is used as a tank connectionin .the valve set up, apertures li'formed in the rotor valve at the top and bottom of the depression ll prevent the building ofpressure on the 40 packing and also prevent the tendency to blow out the valve. When'the port T is not used asa tank connection, then apertures l6 are plugged up or left out in the original machinery and a hole I! drilled through one of the solid extensions of the rotor valve is used to connect the "up by the grooves I4 and I5.

In operation of the valve, it will be seen that when the valve rotor is positioned as shown in 1, which is the extreme counterclockwise position, the pressure port connects to the cylinder port C2 and the cylinder C1 is connected to the tank port T. The pressure port even though .-it is connected to the port C: through the mediurn of the depression or recess i0, is completely balanced by the recess 8 formed diametrically on the opposite side of the valve; al-.

though not so important, the valve is also balanced in the other direction in that the surfaces connect to the cylinder port C: and that the cylinder port C1 connects to tank. If the valve is rotated 22% to the center position, as shown 9 and I l are also balancing surfaces as they pre--- sent equal areas to the liquid flowing from C1- to 'r. wnenuie vane is rotated 22% to the center position shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that pressure is cut oil. from C1 and Ca, in which case the balancing area 8 still serves'as a balancing pressure area.- When the valve rotated 45 to the extreme clockwise position shown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the pressure port connects to cylinder port C1 and that the cylinder port C: is connected to the tank port T. Here the surface area It is still balanced by the'sur face area [although the arcuate depression 8 here forms a working area in addition to a balancing area. Particular attention is called to the fact that the supply port Pr and return port T- are positioned 90 apart and that the cylinder ports assume a 45 relationship from the port Pr, and the port C1 bisects the angle between the ports Pr and T.

In the modification shown in- Fig. wherein -the valve seat corresponds to the position shown inFlg. 2, it will be seen that the ports C1 and C2 are connected by means of auxiliary conduits l9 and 20, with the result that the cylinder ports are connected at the center or osed position of the valve. It will be unders d that the valve.

unit shown in Figs. 1 to 5 maybe used as a three way valve unit by-plugging one of the "cylinderport's or may be used as a two way valve in Fig. '7, it will be seen that the pressure portconnects to cylinder port C: and that C1 is blocked 5 off. If the-"valve rotated 45 to the extreme clockwise position, Fig. 8, it will be seen that the pressure connects to both cylinders C1 and Ca. Here, as in a four way valve, the'depressed surfaces of the valve rotor are balanced atall times and in all positions of directional control. Here. the balancing surface ll opposite the tank port serves solely as'a balancing surface as it never becomes an operating chamber or channel. The

area bounded by the balancing surface II is in"l5 constant communication with the tank port! through the passageway ll so as to relieve pressure on the opposite ends 'of the valve rotor through the medium of the apertures." and I1... By connectingmhe two ends of the valve with the return port through the apertures l6 and I1, the necessity for an end rotor shaft heretofore used on the side' of the valveopposite the-operating shaft is eliminated. Here, as in Figs. 1 to V9), it

will be seen that the supply and return ports are. 5

positioned 90 apart and that the portcz which is the only effective port in this three way valve,

, is positioned -from the port T. Thus, in either by plugging the connectionsCr and T. In every instance and in every position, the surface 8. acts as a balancing surface for the pressure surface It. It will thus be seen that I have provided a valve casing having ports arranged at substaninvention.

identical with the structure illustrated in Figs.

been changed 45 so thatiit is positioned in alignment with the p'ressurepo'rt or 45 from the port tially 90 and 45 angles and a rotor valve having cross passageways the surfaces of such valve being so fabricated as to inherently provide balanced surfa'ces so that the valve iscompletely balanced 'in all positions of operation whether used as a four way, three way or two way valve.

In'Figs. 6 to 9 1 have illustrated a commercial three way valve unit embodying the present The valve and easing structure is 1 to 4 with the exception that the port C: has

01. In the drawings theports Pr and T and 'position, it willbe seen that the pressure ports ports Cr and C: are shown reversed from their .markings in Figs. 1 to 4. It will be understood position of operation.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 and 11, 36

a drainage connection, means forming a part of the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 3 or 6 to 8, there is a cylindrical casing and a cylindrical valve 30 rotor wherein each set of diametricallyopposite surfaces on the valve, in combination with the cross ports, completely balance the valve in any I have shown a handle mem ber 2|, together with a housing 22 which maybe used in operating the unit shown in either Figs. 4 or 9. It will be seen that a spring pressed plun er 23 cooperates with the depressions 24 to posit vely position the valve in, any one of the three positions. Dupli cate rotor valves 25 and 20 are integrally con'- nected with the stem I for simultaneous movement, the structure of the valve casing and housingibeing the. same as shown and described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 9. J

What I claim-iszf A pilot valve for-directing the how of fluid, comprising a valve casing, supply and returnports and one or more operative ports terminating so in a cylindrical valve chamber open at'on'ly one end, a rotary valve positioned-for rotary move.-

' ment: to open or neutral position within said chamber, diametrically positioned depressiom formed around the surface of said rotor valve for cooperating with said ports, independent .cross passageways connecting said depressions,the exposed-surface area of opposed depressions being substantially equal whereby the pressure conditions existing adjacent any port will be balanced on the opposite side of the valve in'any one of a plurality of positions of therotor valve, a packing gland at one end of said rotor valve, and adjacent the open end of said valve chamber-3a said rotor valve for connecting said packing 4 gland with said connection in any one of a plu-' r'ality of positions of said rotor valve, and am:-

'- iliary' ports in said rotor valve for connecting said operating ports when the valve is in neutral 70 position.

HARRY .1. VICKERS. 

